Same Ship, New Story
by Balto Kodiak
Summary: 20 year old Balto Kodiak & 17 year old Codie Alaska board the Titanic.  Balto is third class, Codie is first class and is engaged.  They meet and fall in love.  But can their love survive a sinking ship?  Different from the movie.  T for language!  R&R!
1. Two Tickets for Titanic

**Same Ship, New Story**

**Chapter 1: Two Tickets For Titanic**

**A/N: I don't own Titanic. I own my characters.**

At a small pub in Southampton, 20 year-old Canadian, Balto Kodiak, and 22 year-old Italian, Umberto Nordico, are playing a game of poker. They're playing against two Russians, Boris and Ivan, who were stupid enough to bet their Titanic tickets.

Balto is from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She is approximately 5' 10" with hazel green eyes and dirty blonde hair that went down to her shoulder blades. Balto has a scar that goes over her left eye, which she received after an encounter with a wolf in Kaltag, Alaska. She wore a blue hat, which she almost never takes off, a grey jacket, white shirt, and a brown over shirt, brown pants, and tan suspenders. She was a social outcast among all of the girls where she lived, mainly because she only wore mans clothes, and was the only girl wherever she went who was wearing them. She didn't mind, though. She was a poor, rambling artist who made her living off of small jobs and selling her drawings.

Umberto is from Rome, Italy and met Balto while she was staying there. Umberto has dark skin and black hair, brown eyes and is 5' 9". He was wearing a white shirt, grey jacket, brown pants, black suspenders, and a greyish-brown hat. He is also Balto's best friend, and traveling partner. He is poor as well, but perfectly happy and optimistic.

"Balto. You're _pazzo, _you bet everything we have!" Umberto whispered to her. Balto just stared at him, then back at her hand before she answered.

"When you got nothin' you got nothin' to lose," she replied with a wink. Umberto understood and just went back to looking at the two Russians, pondering their thoughts. The pocket watch that Ivan bet was ticking away, adding to the tension between the four people.

"Alright. Moment of truth. Somebody's life's about to change. Umberto?" Balto said, looking over to Umberto as he laid down his cards. "_Niente_," she said, raising her eyebrows.

"_Niente._" Umberto confirmed.

"Ivan?" Balto looked over to the Russian to Umberto's left. "Nothing. Boris?"

Boris laid his hand down with a triumphant look on his face. It took all of Balto's strength to keep back her smile as she looked back at her hand.

"Ooh. Three of a kind. I'm sorry, Umberto."

"_Voi idiota! Scommettevate tutto il nostro-_" Umberto yelled, before Balto cut him off.

"I'M SORRY! You're not gonna see your dad again for a long time!" Balto yelled back. "'Cause we're going to America, straight flush boys! Whoo hoo hoo!"

Umberto gave an excited yell as he picked up the tickets and shook them in the air as Balto gathered their winnings. However, before Balto could put them in their bag, Ivan grabbed her by her shirt collar.

"_Gryaznye malenʹkie dvornyazhki_!" Ivan grumbled, raising a fist. Balto closed her eyes and looked away, awaiting the blow. Much to everyone's surprise, he punched Boris square in the nose instead of Balto. "_Svolochʹ! Vy idiot! Yeshche by nashi bilety! Nash yedinstvennyĭ putʹ v Ameriku!_"

"We go to America, Balto!" Umberto yelled.

"Then take a train home!" Balto yelled back, hugging Umberto.

"No, mate! Titanic goes to America! In five minutes!" The bartender reminded then, gesturing towards the clock.

"Shit!" Balto and Umberto exclaimed in unison as Balto got out the bag they travelled with. Umberto began rapidly pushing their winnings into the bag, and ran out of the pub whooping and hollering.

"We're ridin' high style now! We're a couple of regular swells! We're practically goddamn royalty, _ragazzo mio_!" Balto yelled back at him, running as fast as her legs could carry her towards the gangplank of the great ship.

"_Sì! Come sovranità sulla grande nave che ci prende in America! Poi prendiamo un treno di nuovo al Canada!_" Umberto exclaimed, running after her, trying to keep up.

"Can you believe after all these years, I'm finally going back to Vancouver?"

"You're _pazzo_!"

"Maybe, but I won the tickets! C'mon, I thought you were fast!"

"_Sono! Sono solo emozionante e stanco dal gioco del poker! Che cosa siete siete giustificazione?_" Umberto hollered in Italian.

"Whoa! Bastard!" Balto shouted as they crossed in front of a horse carriage. They ran up the gangplank just before it was being pulled away. "Wait! Wait! We're passengers! We're passengers!" Balto pulled out their tickets and showed them to the officer.

"Have you been through the inspection?"

"Of course! Anyways, we don't have lice, we're Americans. Both of us." Balto replied, when in reality she was Canadian and Umberto was Italian, but it was 1912. Nobody had any proof.

"Right. Come aboard." The officer told them as they jumped on board, running down to the third class decks.

"We're the luckiest _cane bastardos_ in the world, you know that?" Balto said excitedly as they made their way through the crowds to their stateroom.

"Balto, we're in, eh, 358." Umberto announced.

"Okay, 358, 358, excuse me," she said after bumping into somebody, "358, where's 358? Oh, right here!" Umberto opened the door since Balto had her hands full, and Balto set down their belongings.

"Hey. I'm Balto, nice to meet ya," she said shaking one of their roommate's hands. "Balto Kodiak, nice to meet ya," Balto held out her hand for the other guy to shake. While Balto was distracted introducing them to their roommates, Umberto claimed the top bunk. "Who says you get the top bunk, huh?"

"_Gde Ivan i Boris?_" Asked one of them. The other guy just shrugged his shoulders and went back to unpacking.

Meanwhile, up on the first class decks, 17 year-old Codie Alaska and his fiancée, 21 year-old Aurora Hawkhide are unpacking in their stateroom.

"Well, I'm goin' up to the deck. See you later." Codie proclaimed as he started walking towards the door.

"Wait right there, young man," Codie's mother told him. Codie stopped in his tracks and groaned, turning around to face his mother. "We have lunch scheduled with Mr. Andrews in less than an hour, and I expect you to be at the first class dining area by then."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, but I want to see more of the ship. At least before we get too far out to sea!" Codie complained. Even though he was seventeen, his mother still treated him like a four year-old boy. He didn't like his mother; much less Aurora, but he had no other options. Codie was about 5' 7" with blue eyes, tannish skin, and blonde hair that was down to his shoulders in length. He was very handsome, and the desire of most of the girls his age in high society. However, he's unwillingly engaged to Aurora Hawkhide, courtesy of his mother.

That afternoon at lunch, since he had nothing to say, Codie kept quiet. He let his mother and Aurora do the talking. Bruce Ismay tagged along for lunch, and Codie doubted he would talk to him or ask for his opinion much due to his young age and lack of life experience. Codie never had much of an interest in construction, or politics, so he only half-listened to their conversation. He was getting bored and would've fallen asleep, had his mother not noticed.

"Codie, sit up!" His mother whispered harshly.

"Excuse me for a minute," Codie excused himself as he walked out to the deck.

"I do apologize for my son's behavior. He's not quite himself today." Codie's mother said, embarrassed by his actions.

"Oh, no need to worry Mrs. Alaska. Quite normal among teenage boys like young Codie. Keep in mind, the lad's still growing." Mr. Andrews replied.

"I suppose," Aurora shrugged and continued drinking her tea.


	2. Kirby Juneau

**Same Ship, New Story**

**Chapter 2: Kirby Juneau**

**A/N: I don't own the song.**

Balto and Umberto were out on the third class deck, talking to an Irish passenger named Marcus O'Riley. Balto was drawing a little boy who caught her attention earlier, and Marcus and Umberto were talking about the ship.

"The ship is nice, huh?" Umberto inquired Marcus.

"Yeah, it's an Irish ship," Marcus replied with a thick Irish accent.

"It's English, no?"

"No! It was built in Ireland! 15,000 Irish men built this ship! Solid as a rock with big Irish hands." Marcus made a face as a steward was walking some dogs down the deck. "Ah, it's typical. First class dogs come down here to take a shit."

"It just lets us know where we rank in the scheme of things." Balto said, taking her eyes off of her drawing and looking at Marcus.

"Like we could forget?" Marcus asked, as he blew out the smoke from his cigarette. Balto laughed, then Marcus held his hand out to her. "Name's Marcus O'Riley."

"Balto Kodiak," she replied, shaking his hand.

"Umberto Nordico," Umberto shook Marcus' hand before taking a peek at Balto's drawing. "You're improving, Balto. You capture the _ragazzino_ spirit and happiness well."

"May I have a look?" Marcus asked, leaning over to get a better look. "That's very good. Do you make any money with your drawings?"

Balto was about to answer when she saw a boy of about 17 walk up to the rail on the first class deck. This boy was Codie Alaska. He was looking out at the ocean, and appeared to be in deep thought. Marcus noticed Balto staring at Codie and spoke up.

"Ah, forget it Balto. You'd as like have angels fly outta yer arse as get next to the likes o' him." Balto couldn't hear him. She was too interested in the first class boy up on the deck. Codie looked over at her for a moment, then looked away, and back again. Umberto waved his hand in front of Balto's face, giggling at the way she seemed to shut everybody out. Balto and Codie continued staring at each other, until Aurora came up and took him back.

"See? What'd I tell ya?" Marcus told her, and then punched her playfully in the shoulder. Balto just put the finishing touches on her drawing, then initialed and dated it. Marcus just shrugged and went back to his stateroom.

"You want to come back to the _stanza_, Balto?" Umberto asked when he got up from the bench he and Balto were sitting on.

"Nah, I'll stay. You go ahead, I'll come back tonight." Balto replied.

"_Arrivederci, razza mezza_!" Umberto said in Italian, then waved to her as he walked away.

"_Vedivi più successivamente, uomo_!" Balto said back. She would've gotten up and gone to the bow of the ship, if the little boy she had been drawing earlier hadn't come up to her with his father.

"Hi. Can I help you?" Balto asked them, slightly nervous.

"Hello. I am Flynn Juneau, and this is my son, Kirby," Flynn said, gesturing to the little boy next to him. He had the slightest bit of an English accent, which Balto found amusing.

"Hi there, Kirby. Nice to meet you." Balto said as she shook the little boy's hand. "Kirby Juneau, huh? Quite a name you've got there."

"Hi." Kirby replied, blushing slightly when Balto gave him one of her most charming smiles.

"Oh, excuse me, where are my manners?" Balto asked herself. "Balto K. Kodiak at your service!" Balto tipped her hat to Flynn and Kirby.

"I noticed you were drawing Kirby not long ago. He noticed too and wants to see it." Flynn told her.

"Sure," Balto answered, retrieving her leather portfolio. "Here you go, Kirby." Balto handed him the drawing, and his eyes widened. Balto couldn't help but smile at the little boy. He was beyond adorable. He had brown hair, and big, curious green eyes. Balto guessed he was around six, since he was small and so playful and optimistic.

"Thank you, Ms. Kodiak." Kirby replied.

"Please. Call me Balto." Balto instructed. She hated being addressed formally, but she was impressed that this little boy had such good manners.

"Okay Balto!" A huge grin spread across Kirby's face.

"Looks like he likes you, Balto." Flynn said.

"Well, I like him too. He's very optimistic and happy, and he's nice to be around." Balto watched him run around the deck, so energetic and free. This little boy had captured her heart. She had a soft spot for little kids, which came in handy most times.

"Would you like to join us for dinner tonight? I'm sure Kirby would love that."

"Sure! Why not?"

"Alright then. We look forward to seeing you again. See you then, Balto."

"Bye Flynn!"

The sun began to set awhile later, so she went to the stern of the ship. She went over to the rail and looked out into the water. Balto began thinking about the events of that day: She met an adorable little boy named Kirby, she made a new friend named Marcus, and she saw the most handsome boy she ever laid eyes on. She didn't care that he was in first class, or that he seemed to have a girlfriend or something. She suddenly remembered that she had promised to join Flynn and Kirby for dinner. She ran down to the third class dining area, where she soon found Flynn and Kirby sitting at a table, where Flynn gestured for her to come over. Balto also noticed that some of Kirby's friends were there, too.

"Hiya, Kirby. Nice to see you again." Balto said, ruffling Kirby's hair, making him laugh. She shook Flynn's hand before sitting down.

"Hey Kirby, who's that?" One of Kirby's friends asked.

"That's my new friend, Balto." Kirby replied. "She drew a picture of me this afternoon."

Then, a huge steak was put in front of them and they attacked it like wolves to a caribou carcass.

"Give it back!"

"That's mine!"

The five kids were fighting over it, snatching it from the other then snatching it back.

"Just a minute pups! Don'tcha want to share? Hey!" Balto almost yelled at them. "Alright, it's only a steak, fellas! Do you mind sharing? Aw, now c'mon, don't fight! Alright, I'm gonna-I'm gonna tell you something about sharing."

_What's mine is yours_

_What's yours is mine_

_The more you share_

_The more the sun will shine!_

_Everybody!  
_

_What's mine is yours_

_What's-_

"Hey! Will you put that steak-look, stop it! This isn't right! You shouldn't be fighting. Now listen, to ol' Balto!"

_Whether you're the boss_

_Or someone's pet_

_The more you give_

_The more you're gonna get!_

_You got a little or a lot_

_You got to share cause you know what_

_Each other's all that we have got_

_The sun will shine if you share all the time_

_What's mine is yours_

_What's yours is mine_

_The more you share_

_The more the sun will shine!_

_Whether you're the boss_

_Or someone's pet_

_The more you give_

_The more you're gonna get!_

_The more you're gonna get!_

_The more you're gonna get!_

_The more you're gonna get!_

**A/N: I don't know if it fits in right or not, but I wanted so bad to put that song in. Remember to review!**


	3. Balto Meets Codie

**Same Ship, New Story**

**Chapter 3: Balto Meets Codie**

Meanwhile, Codie Alaska was having dinner in the first class dining area. He didn't speak, for he didn't have much to say, and only half-listened to his mother's conversation. The tuxedo he was wearing to dinner was so hot that he was sweating. He wanted to get outta there at any costs possible. Finally, for the first time since dinner started, he spoke up.

"Mom?"

"What Codie?" His mother asked him, annoyed at him for interrupting her conversation.

"I'm gonna go get some air," he replied, standing up. After he was out of earshot, his mother apologized for his actions again.

Codie was walking quickly across the boat deck to keep his body heat up, for it was cold out. He went through the gate to the third class deck and started walking towards the stern of the ship. Balto was lying down on a bench staring up at the stars when Codie walked past her. Balto sat up and watched him walk over to the railing and look out to the water. She couldn't believe it! It was the exact same guy she saw that afternoon when she was drawing Kirby!

Balto just sat there on the bench for a while before finally getting up and walking over to him. She approached him slowly, so that she didn't startle him, and put her hands in her pockets.

"Uh, hi!" She said, causing Codie to turn around.

"What? Oh, hello." Codie greeted her, turning back to the water.

"That water must be very interesting for you to keep staring at it." Balto remarked, moving next to him and putting her elbows on the railing.

"Who are you?" Codie asked, not wanting to respond to her statement.

"Balto K. Kodiak at your service," Balto replied, tipping her hat.

"What's the K stand for?" Codie wondered as he turned to look at her. He was amazed by her hazel green eyes, and the depth and wisdom they had to them, almost as if she had already experienced life at least once.

"Kävik." Balto replied with a shrug.

"Kävik?"

"It's Eskimo for wolverine," Balto explained. "So what're you doing out here? Aren't all the first class people supposed to be at dinner right now?"

"Yeah. I got away."

"Impressive. When I was a kid, the only way I'd get away from dinner was to sneak away when my parents weren't looking."

"Wow. Tough break."

"Yeah. So anyway, who're you?" Balto looked at him again, thinking about how good he looked in low light. _Damn! He looks better now than he did this afternoon._

"I beg your pardon?" Codie asked.

"You have a bit of an unfair advantage here _sir_," Balto said, stressing the "sir". "You know my name, but I don't know yours." She replied with a smirk.

"Codie B. Alaska." Codie held out his hand for her to shake. As soon as her hand made contact with his, he felt a series of electric shocks pulsate from his hand out to the rest of his body.

"What's the B stand for?" Balto repeated, raising her eyebrow and smiling.

"Bryan." Codie answered, smiling back at her.

"Codie Bryan Alaska. The first three letters of the English alphabet in reverse."

"Well, that's one way to look at it." Codie laughed. He was already quite fond of Balto. However, he was curious about the series of shocks he felt when he shook her hand. He never felt anything like that with Aurora, or any of the other girls his mother threw at him. He didn't notice that their hands hadn't broken apart until Balto squeezed his hand, letting him know their hands were still tied; literally.

"Oh, sorry." Codie said, his face turning a bright red. Balto noticed this, but decided to just let it slide. "You know, my mother is allowing me to bring a guest to dinner tomorrow night. I would greatly appreciate it if you would accompany me."

Balto just shrugged and said, "Sure." _I don't know what this is about, but I don't have time to worry about it._

"Wonderful. I will meet you at the Grand Staircase." Codie walked away reluctantly, after saying good-bye to Balto.

Balto stood there for a long time after he left staring at the place he was standing. _How the hell did I get so damn lucky to find that boy? I can't wait for tomorrow night._ Balto suddenly remembered that Umberto was waiting for her in their stateroom. _Shit! Umberto!_ Balto began running towards the deck where their stateroom was located.

"Balto! _Mio dio_ where have you been?" Umberto hissed. Their roommates were asleep, so they had to be really quiet.

"I was up on the deck, why?" Balto whispered back. She was getting tired herself, so she wanted this conversation to end as quickly as possible.

"It is past ten."

"Who're you, my papa? Let's just get some sleep, Umberto, I'm tired." That being said, she fell asleep on the bottom bunk almost instantly.

After Codie walked away from Balto, he went back to his cabin. He wondered if anybody saw him talking to Balto. If his mother or Aurora found out he was socializing with a third class person, they will never forgive him for it. Just as he finished that thought, he arrived at his cabin, where, as he predicted, his mother and Aurora were waiting.

"Where were you, darling?" Aurora asked him. Her face was completely emotionless, which always terrified him. Codie was silent.

"Codie Bryan Alaska, Aurora asked you a question." Codie's mother tapped her foot impatiently.

"I was at the back of the ship," he answered, hoping they wouldn't ask any more questions.

"Were you with anyone?" Aurora inquired, raising her eyebrow. "Perhaps somebody from the _third class_?" She said "third class" as if it were a swear word.

"Alright, start talkin', what did your little manservant see?" Her manservant, Spencer, was always following him around at her command. Her mother hired him for the Titanic voyage to keep an eye on her. Apparently, keeping an eye on him was part of the deal as well.

"Oh, nothing. Just you talking to a third class mutt who obviously wasn't American, or English. I believe you owe us an explanation," she responded. She was obviously very angry, and he needn't upset her further. However, he decided to tell her.

"Her name is Balto Kodiak. She's actually very nice, but you wouldn't know that, seeing how you won't go anywhere near the lower decks."

"Third class people are nothing more than filthy mongrels who don't belong on the planet Earth!" Aurora countered.

"They have as much right to be on this planet as we do!" Codie shouted.

Aurora was taken aback by his outburst. It wasn't like him to yell at her like that, but it just added to her anger and rage buildup. She wasn't finished with him just yet, but it was late, so she would have to deal with him later. She excused herself, and Codie's mother turned on him.

"Codie Bryan Alaska, what do you think you were doing?" His mother was obviously very angry, too. "You just walked around with that lowlife mutt when you are engaged to Aurora. I am very disappointed in you, young man."

"For what? Just because I'm engaged to Aurora doesn't mean I can't have other friends! What about my friends back in America that you forced me to abandon, huh?" Codie exclaimed.

"That is not the issue! Now it's past ten o'clock and you need to be asleep."

"Mom, I'm seventeen; not seven." Codie complained. His mother gave him an ice-cold stare, and he reluctantly went to bed.

He didn't fall asleep right away, because every time he closed his eyes, he saw Balto's face. He could still see her hazel green eyes that seemed to be able to see into his mind and his soul. He recalled the way her dirty blonde hair fell over her face and eyes, and her hat. He wondered why she wore that blue hat all the time, but decided it was probably a family heirloom or something. What bewildered him most, however, was the scar she had over her left eye. He had to admit, though, that it added to her rugged appearance, making her even more attractive, in some way.

The same went for Balto. Her head filled with images of Codie. Balto didn't believe in love at first sight, but now she's having second thoughts about it. _I fell in love with him the first time I saw him. Hm. Maybe there is such a thing as love at first sight._ Balto smiled in her sleep and turned over on her stomach. Their roommates were snoring very loudly, and Balto was a light sleeper.

"Balto? Are you awake?" Umberto whispered from the top bunk of their bunk bed.

"Hm?" Balto answered. Her eyes were still closed, but she was very much awake.

"What _were_ you doing up on the deck tonight?"

"I… uh…" Balto didn't want to tell him, because Umberto can be a little _too_ happy and optimistic.

"Balto…" Umberto was silently begging her to tell him.

"Remember that guy we saw up on the first class deck this afternoon?"

"The one you couldn't stop staring at?" Umberto asked her playfully. Balto could feel her cheeks get hot. _Thank God the lights are off!_ She thought.

"Yeah. That one. Anyway, I ran into him at the stern. Turns out he's an Alaska. Pure blood from parents of equal heritage." Balto sighed and thought about her parents for the first time in years. "My pa would kill me if he were still alive. Us Kodiaks, we hated the rich for making fun of us. Especially me, because my parents had pure blood, as I call it, and I am a mutt of mixed heritage."

"_Si_. We both are." Umberto replied.

The two "mutts" continued talking for several hours. They were laughing back and forth at what the other had to say, reminiscing this and that, and forgot about sleep entirely. Finally, around 1 AM, they both passed out and went to sleep.


	4. HeartToHeart

**Same Ship, New Story**

**Chapter 4: Heart-To-Heart**

**A/N: Some references to the movie here. So, again, I own nothing of Titanic.**

A woman yelling in the room next to theirs woke Balto up that morning. Umberto, being the early riser, was already up and about not seeming to be bothered by the lady who was yelling.

"Balto! You're not going to spend all day lying around like that are you?" Umberto asked teasingly.

"Yeah, well I'm up. The loony alarm went off." Balto replied gesturing towards the wall.

"Well, just don't listen to her."

"How can I not?"

Umberto walked out the door to go to breakfast, and Balto was still annoyed by the person yakking behind the wall. She tried to ignore her and carry on, but to no avail. She tried putting her pillow over her head, but that didn't work either. She kept trying until finally, she couldn't take it anymore. She banged her fist on the wall several times and yelled…

"HEY LADY! SHUT UP!"

Codie Alaska had already woken up and was on his way to breakfast with his mother and, of course, Aurora. Although, he'd much rather be spending time with Balto than listening to their boring, first class conversations with the other ladies his mother was acquainted with. He felt very uncomfortable being around all those women, and really wanted to go talk to Balto, who was seemingly his only friend. Balto cared about him and his thoughts and feelings, whereas Aurora just wanted a handsome fiancée to show off anywhere she could. Aurora didn't give a shit about his thoughts or how he felt towards things. He decided that after breakfast, he would go down to the third class deck and look for Balto.

After Balto finished breakfast, she went into what she called the "commons area." She then sat down on a bench and began drawing whatever caught her eye. A half hour later, Kirby arrived with Flynn and sat down next to her.

"Hi Balto!" Kirby said cheerfully. "Whatcha drawin'?"

"You see that man over there?" Balto asked, pointing to a man with a mustache and short black hair. Kirby nodded. "I'm drawing him."

"Why do you draw people so much, Balto?" Kirby inquired.

"I don't know, really. I've been drawing people ever since I was twelve years old. Before that, I drew animals. Mostly wolves and dogs, though. Nothing really special." Balto shrugged and went back to drawing. Kirby watched in amazement as her hands began creating a beautiful drawing with just a pencil and paper.

Flynn just stood in a corner, watching the scene in front of him. His little boy had become very close friends with somebody at least three times his age in a matter of hours. Little kids tended to be very social, and Flynn was glad that Kirby had made a new friend on this voyage. Balto loved that kid like a little brother she never had, and was rather fond of Flynn. After a while, the area started filling up with people. Marcus came in and saw Balto and a little boy, and had to smile at how perfect they looked. Balto was drawing, of course, and Marcus walked over to say hello.

"Hey there, Kodiak! I see you're drawin' again." Marcus shook her hand and looked over to her portfolio. "Mind at all if I take some out of that portfolio of yours and have a look at 'em?"

"Not at all. Go ahead," Balto answered, handing him the portfolio, while she signed and dated her drawing.

Marcus put a cigarette up to his lips and lit it while he flipped through Balto's drawings. He was amazed by her talent and swore that if he didn't know better, he'd think it was a black and white photograph. He came across one of two people who looked to be in their forties smiling and holding hands. Marcus noticed that it was dated November 11, 1907, five years ago. Balto had to be about… 15 years old. He knew that Balto was an orphan and wondered if these were her parents. He decided to go over and ask her about it.

"Hey, Balto. Who are these people?" He asked, pointing to the drawing. Balto snatched the drawing out of his hand, causing Marcus to jump back, startled.

"Gimme that!" Balto exclaimed, holding the drawing close to her. "Sorry, it's just that this drawing is very important to me. I drew it the day before my parents died." Balto's eyes saddened as she looked down at the drawing, appearing to be very distant.

"Oh. I'm… sorry." Marcus said, as he lowered his head.

"Hey, no worries. You didn't do anything wrong. I don't really like to think about my parents much." Balto replied. Kale and Kyra Kodiak died from diphtheria on November 12, 1907; a week after Balto turned fifteen. They caught the disease about two weeks before, but didn't know about it until that day. They died overnight, leaving Balto and her brother Kavu, who was 17 at the time, orphaned. Not long afterwards, Balto and her brother parted ways and never saw each other again. They didn't exactly part on the best terms, so they thought it best to not make contact with the other "until the time was right."

After Codie had finished breakfast, he announced that he was going to take a walk on the boat deck. It wasn't a whole lie. He was going to take a walk, but he was going down to the third class area to go find Balto. He began walking quickly out of the first class dining area and made his way to the gate that kept him and Balto apart. He was amazed by how much power a small gate could have, as if it were a borderline between two completely different countries. When he got down to the third class deck, he ignored all the stares he was receiving and went down to the commons area. As he entered, it got quiet and quite a few of the women were staring at him. Umberto turned around when he noticed some people were staring and, somehow, wasn't surprised that Balto was so interested in that boy. Balto, being too caught up in another drawing, didn't notice Codie come in.

"Balto!" Umberto said, barely above a whisper. He tapped her on the shoulder and pointed at Codie. Balto's eyes grew wide and she immediately stood up and put on her hat. Codie walked over to her and gulped as he nervously tugged at his shirt collar.

"Hello, Ms. Kodiak." He greeted anxiously.

"Hello again." Balto returned the greeting, for once not minding that he addressed her formally.

"May I speak with you?" He inquired.

"Of course," she replied.

"Alone?"

"Oh! Yeah. Right." Balto gathered her drawing supplies and began walking away. Marcus whispered something incomprehensible and Balto gave him a teasing pat on the shoulder. A few seconds later, Marcus and Umberto both erupted into laughter.

Once Balto and Codie were up on the first class deck, they began talking about how great the weather's been and stuff like that. This wasn't why Codie wanted to talk to her, but he figured it'd suffice for the time being.

"Nice weather, huh?" He asked.

"Yeah. It wasn't always this nice back in Vancouver. It rained a lot and when it wasn't raining, it was either cloudy, or snowing. The sun did shine, though, but not as much in the winter." Balto answered.

"Vancouver?" Codie was curious about her life and how she grew up.

"Yep. I was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Ya know, that big hunk o' land just north of America?" Codie nodded as Balto continued.

"My parents' names were Kale and Kyra, and I had an older brother named Kavu."

"Kale, Kyra, and Kavu Kodiak?" Codie could hardly say it, because of the alliteration.

"Lots of tongue twisters in my family. Sorry for just going on about me, when I don't really see how you'd be interested in my life." Balto said.

"No, go on. I'm actually very interested in your life. Normally people in my crowd won't even stand within a ten-foot radius of people like you, but I'm intrigued." Codie responded.

"Okay, well, I didn't exactly get along well with my brother. We were constantly arguing over the stupidest things. Since my mother wasn't fond of the idea of me being a little more boyish than most girls we knew, she was constantly putting me in dresses and stuff. I hated it, so I was always borrowing my brother's clothes and he would lose his marbles over it. When I was six years old, Ma finally gave up and let me wear boys' clothes." Codie listened intently as Balto kept on explaining her childhood to him. He wondered why his life couldn't be like hers, because she seemed to be so lucky. He was proved wrong a few seconds later.

"I had to quit school when I was a teenager and after that, my brother and I decided to separate. We haven't seen, nor spoken to each other since then. After that, I started traveling all throughout Canada and eventually went to America, Europe, and Italy, where I met Umberto, Norway, Alaska, and Russia."

"You certainly get around don't you?" Codie joked.

"Yeah, I've been on my own since my ma and pop died when I was fifteen. It was because of that that I couldn't further my education, and my brother and I parted ways. I haven't been back to Vancouver since then. It holds too many memories. I don't even think our old house is still there. Well, Codie, we've walked at least a mile around this boat deck, yakking about how great the weather's been, and how I grew up, but I don't think that's why you wanted to talk to me, is it?" Balto said.

"Ms. Kodiak, I-" He started.

"Balto." Balto still hated being addressed formally, even if it was coming from him.

"Balto… I wanted to thank you for calming me down last night. If you hadn't showed up, I think I would've jumped off the ship." Codie replied.

"Well, you're welcome." Balto responded.

"Listen, I know what you're probably thinking. 'Poor little rich boy. What could he possibly know about misery?'" Codie said, averting his eyes from Balto's.

"No. That's not what I was thinking. What I was thinking was, what could've happened to this boy to make him so upset?"

"Well, uh, it was just my whole life and everything in it, and the inertia of my life. Being pulled ahead by some unseen force, and powerless to stop unless acted on by something else." Codie answered.

"When I saw you up on the deck yesterday, some girl walked up to you and took you back. She your girlfriend or somethin'?" Balto inquired.

"My fiancée, Aurora." Codie replied.

"Do you love her?" Balto asked, leaning against a rope.

"What?" Nobody ever asked him that before. No one really cared whether or not he loved Aurora; he was going to marry her regardless.

"Do you love her?" Balto repeated.

"You're being kind of rude. You really shouldn't be asking me this." Codie commented, trying to avoid answering a question he didn't know the answer to.

"Well, it's a simple question. Do you love the girl or not?" Balto countered.

"This is not a suitable conversation." Codie retorted.

"Why can't you just answer the question?" A smile was beginning to appear on her face. Codie began laughing and ran his fingers through his hair.

"This is absurd! You don't know me, and I don't know you, and we are not having this conversation at all!" He began. "You are rude, and uncouth, and presumptuous and I'm leaving. Balto. Ms. Kodiak, it's been a pleasure. I sought you out to thank you, and now I have thanked you and-" He held out his hand and she shook it.

"And you've insulted me." Balto added.

"Well, you deserved it." Codie replied.

"Right." Balto said sarcastically.

"Right." Codie repeated.

Balto looked down and noticed they were still shaking hands.

"I thought you were leaving."

"I am." He turned around and started walking. "You are so annoying!" Balto laughed in a deep tone and Codie turned around.

"Wait a minute! I don't have to leave! This is my part of the ship! You leave!"

"Ho ho ho! Well, well, well! Now who's being rude, huh?" Balto countered. Codie couldn't figure out what to say, so he diverted his attention to the portfolio she had tucked under her right arm.

"What is this thing you carry around all the time, anyway?" He snatched it out of her hand and began flipping through the drawings. "Oh, these are very good. Balto these are amazing!" Codie sat down on a lounge chair and balanced the portfolio on his lap. Balto sat down in the chair next to him and watched him flip through her drawings.

He came across several drawings of people in heavy coats on sleds with dogs attached to them in harnesses. Balto drew those in Alaska during sled dog training season. He also came across a few people ice fishing in Canada. She had drawings from every place she's traveled to, it seemed.

"You most certainly like to spend time in the north, don't you?" He said.

"Yup. I grew up in the north, and I'm gonna stay in the north." Balto replied.

"You do get around for a poor-" He quickly began to rethink his words. "Well, a person of limited…"

"Go on. A poor old mutt, you can say it." Balto said, smiling. Codie then came across the drawing of her parents.

"Who're these people?" He questioned. His brow furrowed as he ran his fingers over the charcoal drawing. He noticed Balto close her eyes tightly and sigh.

"My parents," she mumbled. "I drew that the day before they died. They had diphtheria and died a week after my birthday. My brother and I were supposed to be sent to our Uncle Joey, but I left right after the funeral. Uncle Joey didn't like me very much, because I was a 'tomboy,' is what he called me, and preferred my brother."

"My mother never cared for me, either. She acted like whatever I did wasn't good enough. My father cared for me more than my mother did." Codie responded. They had much more in common than they had expected.

"The only one who knew that I left was my brother, and everyone else assumed I was dead. They held a funeral for me soon afterward and I attended, of course, in disguise. I took my grandfather's blue hat, gathered up whatever I could carry on my back, and left."

After a few more minutes of talking, they got up and started walking again. Balto started talking about her adventures after leaving Vancouver. She told how she ran a dogsled race in the US Territory of Alaska, how she met Umberto, and about how she made money by selling drawings.

"When I was 17, I worked in Norway drawing pictures of landscapes. I mainly drew ones of these bright lights that fill up the sky almost every night. I remember someone telling me that the spirits of our ancestors live in those lights. I always believed that they were the spirits of animals that were supposed to guide you throughout life. At least that's what my grandpapa told me." Balto put her elbows on a rail and faced the setting sun. "Sometimes I would just stop drawing and watch the lights, and if I would go somewhere away from civilization, like a frozen lake, I swear I can hear a pack of wolves howling. It is the most amazing feeling to sleep underneath those lights in a tree."

"You slept in trees?" Codie asked, dumbfounded.

"Better than sleeping on the snow." Balto answered with a shrug.

"What if there was a storm?"

"Sleep under a bridge."

Codie raised his hands in defeat. She made it sound so easy. He was especially interested in those lights she was mentioning. He remembered hearing about a phenomenon like that from his teachers at school, but never considered going to see them. He was from New York, so he had hardly ever even seen the stars.

"I wish I could be like you, Balto. Just head out into the horizon whenever I feel like it. Say we'll go there someday and see those lights. Only if we ever just talk about it." Codie proclaimed.

"No, we'll do it!" Balto replied. "We'll watch the lights after dark, go ice fishing on a frozen lake, and go dogsledding. Right under the moonlight."

"Dogsledding?"

"Yeah. Dogsledding." Balto nodded, causing the visor of her hat to fall over her eyes. She adjusted her hat and looked into his eyes. She swore she could see the northern lights in his eyes right now.

"Can you show me how?" He questioned.

"Sure. If you like." Balto replied.

"Teach me to dogsled like Canadians." Codie requested.

"And hunt moose like Canadians." Balto said back, in a northern hillbilly accent.

"And… spit like Canadians." Codie played along. Even though it had nothing to do with what they were talking about, it was the first thing that came to mind.

"What? Your papa didn't teach you that when you were a kid?" Balto asked jokingly.

"No!" Codie answered, laughing as he spoke.

"Well c'mon, I'll show ya. Let's do it." Balto grabbed his hand and led him over to an "outdoor hallway", as she called it, and ignored his struggling.

"Alright watch closely." Balto instructed, as she snorted and spat out onto the deck.

"People do that?" Codie was beginning to have second thoughts, but quickly shoved them aside.

"Yeah. Spitting contests were a common pastime when I was a kid. Okay, pedigree, your turn." Balto set her drawing supplies and portfolio down on the rail next to her and hunched over in anticipation.

Codie looked around to see if anyone he knew was watching, and spat out onto the deck, rather pitifully.

"That was pitiful!" Balto exclaimed teasingly. "You gotta really hock it up, get some body to it. You gotta," she snorted, "arch your neck," then she spat out onto the deck. "There, you see how it works?"

"Mhm." Codie answered. He spat once more, trying to mimic Balto's actions.

"That was a little bit better. You gotta work on it. Now really try to hock it back, ya know? Now watch closely." Balto snorted and hocked up a lot of mucus and spit. She almost spat it out, when Codie frantically tapped her shoulder. She turned around quickly when she realized people were watching.

"Mom!" Codie said, surprised. "This is Balto Kodiak."

Balto nodded and smiled her same old charming smile, when Molly Brown noticed she still had some spit on her chin. Molly gestured toward her chin, and Balto wiped the spit off with her hand.

"Well, Balto, it's nice to meet you." Molly commented. Codie could tell his mother didn't like Balto at all, but decided to just let it go. He was just happy Aurora wasn't with them. Just then, they were "saved by the horn." The horn announcing dinner, that is.

"Now why do they always insist on announcing dinner like a damn cavalry charge?" Molly asked, annoyed. Codie laughed, but quickly regained his composure.

"Shall we return to the room, mother?" Codie's mother took his arm and he began walking back to his stateroom. "See you at dinner, Balto."

Balto did a salute-like gesture towards him off of her hat visor, and couldn't keep her eyes off of him.

"Balto? Balto!" Molly had to yell to get her attention. Balto blinked a few times, snapping out of her daze, before turning her attention to Molly. "Do you have the slightest comprehension what you're doin'?" Molly asked her.

"Not really," Balto admitted, shaking her head.

"Well, you're about to go into the snake pit. What are you plannin' to wear?"

Balto just spread out her arms, slightly, and Molly just shook her head.

"I figured. Come on." Balto followed Molly back to her stateroom. The whole walk back, Balto prayed Molly wouldn't try to put her in a dress.


	5. Dinner in First Class

**Same Ship, New Story**

**Chapter 5: Dinner in First Class**

**A/N: I don't own Titanic. (If only I had a nickel for every time I said this)**

"Okay, Balto, I'll see if I can find a dress I can loan ya." Molly offered. After hearing the word "dress," Balto instinctively made a dash for the door. "Now just a minute, there, Balto! What're you all worked up about?"

"I haven't worn a dress since I was six, and I'm not about to wear one now." Balto folded her arms and sat down in a chair, indicating that she was not going to change her mind.

"What do you suppose I do, then? Let you wear a tuxedo instead?" Molly asked.

"Yes." Balto replied, her tone serious.

"I was kiddin' hun." Molly said.

"I wasn't." Balto countered.

Molly just sighed in defeat and took out a tuxedo that belonged to her son. Balto put on the tuxedo and was surprised to find that it fit perfectly.

"Well what do you know? You and my son are about the same size!" Molly exclaimed.

"Pretty damn close." Balto agreed.

"Ya know, if I didn't know any better, I'd mistake ya for a gentleman." Molly pointed out. Balto just smiled and let out a small laugh.

Balto felt extremely awkward as she stepped through the doorway to the grand staircase. She looked around, awestruck by the exquisite room. Balto slowly worked her way down the grand staircase and leaned against the wall. She watched people walk by her, some staring, and some nodding. Balto noticed some of the things the first class people were doing and tried to mimic them. She stood up straight and put her hands in her pockets. A few minutes later, Aurora came down talking to Codie's mother. Aurora, not knowing that Balto was the girl Codie invited to dinner, just simply nodded and continued on her way.

Balto just continued mimicking the actions of the people, making a fool of herself at the same time, and Codie came down moments later. One look at him and Balto couldn't tear her eyes away. He was wearing a black tuxedo and his hair was slicked back. Balto immediately felt her palms get sweaty, and her heart started beating a million miles a minute. Balto still had her hat on, thanks to about fifteen minutes of arguing between her and Molly, so she took it off and bowed. Codie chuckled, causing Balto to smile.

"I saw that in a play when I was seven and I always wanted to do it." They laughed quietly before Codie took her to his mother and Aurora, where he introduced her to them.

"Aurora? This is my…friend…Balto Kodiak." Aurora took great note of the hesitation and began to grow weary.

"Kodiak?" His mother said, looking at Balto with a great amount of contempt. "Why, she could almost pass for a gentleman!"

"Almost." Balto shrugged and just continued into the first class dining saloon. There, Codie was introducing her to a number of people. Balto was frantically trying to remember several names and faces, and finally, she was introduced to John Jacob Astor and his wife, Madeline.

"JJ, Madeline, I'd like you to meet Balto Kodiak." Codie said, gesturing towards Balto.

"Hello." Madeline held out her hand and Balto shook it.

"A Pleasure," Balto greeted Madeline.

"Hello Balto," John shook her hand. "Are you of the London Kodiaks?" He inquired.

"No. No, the Vancouver Kodiaks, actually." Balto answered. _So I may or may not have rich relatives in London._

"So you're from Canada?"

"Yep." Balto smiled.

"I see."

Then they sat down and within a few moments, everyone was chatting away about politics, money, business, etc. Whereas Codie's mother was constantly throwing questions at Balto, trying to find some faults within her.

"Tell us of the accommodations in steerage, Ms. Kodiak. I hear they're quite good on this ship."

Balto hesitated for a bit. She's played this game before, and she knew what Codie's mother was doing.

"The best I've seen, Mrs. Alaska. Hardly any rats." Balto replied, earning laughs from several of the people sitting at the table.

"Ms. Kodiak here is joining us from the third class. Apparently she has become a good friend to _my fiancée_." Aurora made sure to put some emphasis on those last two words, as though she were making known her claim. Balto noticed this, of course, but was used to the contempt and insults she was usually given throughout her years.

"It turns out that Balto is a very good artist. She was kind enough to show me some of her work this afternoon." Codie looked over at Balto, smiling slightly. Balto leaned back in her chair, and it wasn't until then that she noticed the abundance of silverware on each side of her plate. _Damn!_

"Is this all for me?" Balto whispered incredulously to Molly.

"Just start from the outside and work your way in." Molly replied. Balto just nodded and kept answering the numerous questions Codie's mother was throwing at her.

"Where exactly are you from, Ms. Kodiak?" Codie's mother asked yet another question to find a fault or two in Balto.

"Well, I was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It's a very nice town. Not too hot in the summer, and freezing cold in the winter." Balto answered proudly.

"And you enjoy a cold climate, do you?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. I spend almost all of my time travelling up in the north. I've been to Europe, Russia, Norway, Italy, places like that." Balto replied, capturing the attention of everyone at the table. Everybody seemed interested in her travels and the tales she could tell. That is, except for Codie's mother and Aurora.

"And you find that kind of life appealing?" Codie's mother asked, the disdain evident in her voice.

"Well yes, ma'am, I do. I got everything I need right here with me. Got air in my lungs, and a few blank sheets of paper. When I was a kid, I always dreamed of seeing the world. Everybody thought I was crazy for it, but look at me now, huh?" Balto now had everybody's full attention. She had always been a "crowd-pleaser," as Umberto described her.

"I learned a lesson the day my parents died. By then, my desire to leave was so strong, that I considered running away a couple of times. You can dream of a moment for years, and still somehow miss it when it comes. You gotta reach through the flames and take it, or lose it forever."

"Well said, Balto." Molly told her.

Aurora really wanted to change the subject. She didn't have the slightest interest in this rambling, rootless, mutt or her travels. Like Mrs. Alaska, she was trying to find some faults or even a speck of imperfection within Balto.

"I notice you are wearing a blue hat. Why exactly do you wear it all the time?" Aurora inquired, with all the contempt and disdain she could muster.

"Well, this hat belonged to my great-grandfather, who passed it down to my grandfather, who passed it down to my father. It was supposed to be passed on to my older brother, Kavu, but I took it with me when I left." Balto almost never took off her hat, except when she slept. It was a family heirloom, belonging to the Kodiak family for over a century. It was one of her most prized possessions. It's all she has left of her father, so she never lets it out of her sight.

"How nice, carrying on your great-grandfather's tradition," a lady commented nicely.

Next, Molly changed the subject, telling a story about her husband. Everybody was laughing, including Balto. Balto was actually enjoying herself, despite the annoyingly snobbish people who sat before her. She was laughing along with everyone else at Molly's story, before she turned to Codie, wondering what normally happened next.

"Next, all the women will dismiss us, and start gossiping about other people on the ship," Codie explained.

"Well then, I'm outta here," Balto sat up and handed Codie a note she had in her hand. Curiosity took over him, as he opened the note. His brow furrowed as he read it.

_Reach through those flames and take it. Meet me at the clock._

Codie excused himself and went up to the grand staircase where, sure enough, there she was. Balto's back was to him, but she could hear him walking up the steps. She turned around and faced him. Balto adjusted her hat and explained the meaning of the note.

"So you want to get away from this boring hellhole?" Balto asked, crossing her arms. Codie raised his eyebrow, and gave her a suspicious look. Balto just grabbed his hand and led him out onto the deck. Codie decided to just go along with whatever scheme she had in mind and followed her onto the deck.

The next thing they knew, the cold wind was blowing against their faces. Balto was relieved to be out of that horrible, stuffy atmosphere and out in the fresh air. Balto took off her jacket, and reminded herself to give the tuxedo back to Molly in the morning. She gestured for Codie to follow her, and then they were off sharing stories about their childhoods.

"By the time I was fourteen, my mother had already thrown six girls at me. Yes, I counted, and I didn't like either of them, and girl number seven, believe it or not, was Aurora." Codie explained.

"So much for lucky number seven," Balto joked.

"Yeah," Codie said, laughing at her clever joke. It was then, that Codie decided to divert his attention to the sky. It wasn't until now, that he really noticed how beautiful the sky was.

"Wow. It's beautiful," he remarked.

"Yeah," Balto replied. "You know, when I was a kid, I used to howl at the moon every night. Wolves are my favorite animal, so I have a few wolf-like habits." Codie looked at her like she had lobsters crawling out of her ears.

"Why?" Codie asked.

"Sixteen years in Canada does things to ya," Balto answered.

"I thought you left when you were fifteen."

"I left Vancouver when I was fifteen. I spent another year travelling throughout other parts of Canada." Balto explained.

"Hey look! A shooting star!" Codie pointed out as a shooting star dashed across the sky.

"That's a long one. You know my dad used to tell me that every time you saw one it was a soul going to Heaven," Balto said staring up at the sky trying to follow the shooting star.

"I like that theory. Aren't you supposed to wish on it, though?" Balto looked down at him, her brow furrowed. It wasn't until then that they realized how close they were.

"Why? What would you wish for?" Balto inquired. Codie turned to look at Balto, and wondered for a second what it would be like to kiss her. He quickly rejected the thought and answered her question.

"Something I can't have."

Balto took great note of the way he looked at her, and started leaning towards him. Codie wanted to kiss her so badly, but panicked when he saw Spencer, Aurora's manservant, out of the corner of his eye.

"Goodnight, Balto," Codie brushed past her, his shoulder lightly bumping into hers. Balto just shrugged and started going back down to third class. By the time she got down to her room, Umberto was fast asleep, much to her relief. Balto changed into her own clothes and fell asleep on the bottom bunk.

Codie was making his way back to his cabin, trying to make sense of everything. Balto almost kissed him, he almost gave into it, and Aurora's stupid manservant was watching them. Life just wasn't fair to him. He knew he would never hear the end of it when he got back, and just decided to face it. Somehow, Balto gave him a confidence he never felt before. Sure enough, when he entered his cabin, everyone was standing there looking at him with ice-cold stares.

"Darling, Spencer, here, tells me you were out with that mongrel from the third class. What was her name? Bingo Kayak?" Aurora asked, trying to remember.

"It's Balto Kodiak, and she's my friend." Codie said.

"Friend? If you're 'friends' then how come he caught you two almost kissing on the deck?" Aurora inquired, knowingly.

"Oh shit," Codie whispered.


End file.
